


Hot & Cold

by destieldrabblesdaily



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-04
Updated: 2014-09-04
Packaged: 2018-02-16 04:10:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2255397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/destieldrabblesdaily/pseuds/destieldrabblesdaily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and his best friend Castiel get stuck in the middle of nowhere when the Impala's engine gives up on them. A snowstorm is raging, and it seems that the only way to keep warm is a method that sounds a lot like 'naked cuddling'. Not that Dean is complaining.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hot & Cold

The eerie silence in the car was only interrupted by the rattling of Castiel’s teeth, and the sound of the wind blowing outside. Dean peered sideways, observing how his best friend’s body was trembling profusely.

“God, I’m so sorry, Cas… This is all  _my fault_.” Dean apologized as a fresh wave of guilt came over him.

“No it’s… not. N-Not… really.” Cas replied, voice stuttering thanks to the chattering of his own teeth.

Dean didn’t go against Castiel this time, but deep down he knew that he himself was the only one to blame here, even though Castiel was politely disagreeing. Because it  _was_  all Dean’s fault. All Dean’s fault that they hadn’t taken  _a plane_  to visit their hometown and see their families during their holiday break from college. All Dean’s fault, because he was such a freaking coward when it came to flying, and he had insisted they’d  _drive_  home instead, even if it would mean a twenty hour trip. He should’ve listened to Cas. Smart and rational Cas. Dean’s roommate and best friend was right ninety-nine percent of the time, and Dean should’ve known better than to not take his advice…

But of course he hadn’t, and now they were here, stranded god-knows-where after getting caught in the middle of a snowstorm. Any other person would’ve have given Dean a big fat ‘ _I told you so’_  by now, but not Cas. Sweet and thoughtful Cas, who would never say anything to upset Dean.

Dean tried starting the Impala again, but it was pointless. The engine made a sad hiccupping sound, but other than that didn’t cooperate. In pure frustration Dean slammed his hands into the steering wheel. Going out there in this weather would be suicide, and so there was really no other option then to wait it out.

Again, Dean glanced at Castiel. Cas had wrapped himself up in one of the blankets that they’d at least thought to bring with them for emergencies like this. Regardless, Cas looked abnormally pale, and his lips were an unhealthy shade of blue.

“Are you okay, buddy?” Dean muttered, putting a hand on Castiel’s upper arm and rubbing up and down a few times.

Cas shuddered under his touch but nodded. “J-just cold, Dean.”

Dean sighed, feeling more guilty with each minute that passed. He was beginning to get rather cold himself; the extra jacket and scarf that he’d already put on were doing little for him in this extreme situation.

It was starting to get dark outside. Castiel wasn’t saying much, but he kept gazing at Dean every once in a while, a wary look in his large blue eyes. This was the reason Dean loved those eyes. They were like a beacon in a hopeless situation such as this one, shining bright, giving Dean hope, making him feel that it would all be okay in the end as long as Cas was with him.

And yeah, Dean was man enough to admit to himself that those were pretty cheesy thoughts to have about someone who was ‘just your friend’, but the fact remained that Cas meant everything to Dean.

Castiel was quivering uncontrollably by now, and Dean needed to do something. Anything. Seeing Cas in any sort of pain or discomfort was never something Dean approved of.

“Cas?” He softly called his friend’s name.

Cas smiled weakly and nodded to indicate that he was listening.

“Come here…” Dean said, invitingly opening up his arms to Castiel, motioning for him to come over.

“A-are you sure, Dean?” Cas breathed out between shivers.

“Yeah… Maybe it’ll warm you up a bit, you’re freezing man.” Dean insisted. “Besides, I’m not exactly toasty warm either here.”

Castiel scooted closer, easily sliding into Dean’s arms as if he belonged there. They were fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle, and Dean tried very hard not to think about that as he tightly wrapped his arms around his friend, resting his chin on the top of Cas’ head.

“I’m sorry.” Dean whispered into Castiel’s dark fluffy hair as Cas trembled in his arms.

“It-it’s alright, Dean. I know f-flying frightens you.” Cas assured him once more, understanding as always.

“I know, but that doesn’t excuse me from being a stubborn dumbass and getting us stuck in this blizzard.” Dean deadpanned.

Castiel shrugged, seeming indifferent to whether or not it was Dean’s fault, instead pushing himself even closer to Dean, clearly chasing the warmth. Dean’s hands repeatedly rubbed Cas’ back to try and warm him up with the friction, but after a good fifteen minutes Cas was still shaking.

“Dammit.” Dean groaned agitatedly. “Uncle Bobby once told me that sharing body heat can warm a person up, but apparently he was just talking out of his ass.”

“N-no. Actually… your uncle was telling t-the truth.” Castiel corrected, voice muffled against Dean’s chest. “I-it just doesn’t work like  _this_.”

“It doesn’t?” Dean questioned, puzzled.

Dean’s eyes darted down from the snow covered windshield to the cold,  shivering pile of human and blankets in his arms.

“I saw a movie a-a while ago…” Cas uttered into Dean’s jacket. “Sharing b-body heat works, but only when t-there’s  _skin on skin_  contact.”

Silence, as Dean tried to process the information that his friend had just provided him with. According to Cas, sharing body heat practically meant  _naked cuddling_. Naked cuddling with Castiel. Adorable Castiel with the pretty blue eyes who also happened to be Dean’s light in life.

No part of Dean’s brain had any objections whatsoever to that scenario. Still, he hadn’t forgotten that the actual goal was to keep his best friend -and eventually himself- from freezing to death.

“Alright… Let’s try it.” Dean said, the words sounding more confident than he felt about this.

Castiel’s head tipped up, and he gawked at Dean. “R-really?”

“Really, Cas. Let’s just… It doesn’t have to be weird if we don’t  _make_  it weird.”

Dean internally winced at his own words. He was such a hypocrite sometimes, acting as if this didn’t affect him in any way while at the same time his traitorous heart threatened to burst out of his chest at the mere promise of what they were about to do.

And then Castiel nodded his consent, and Dean knew that this was going to mess them up. Yet still, Dean started to take off his scarf and his jacket. Castiel did the same, freeing himself from the blanket and taking off his sweater.

“We have to wrap the b-blanket about b-both of us once we’re… Y-you know.” Castiel instructed as he got rid of his shirt and started unbuttoning his jeans.

Dean nodded, keeping the blanket close as he pulled off his shirt and jeans as well. When they were both wearing nothing but boxers, they blinked at each other awkwardly, Cas biting his trembling lower lip. They’d seen each other half-naked before, seeing as they’d known each other for years, but naked cuddling… Yeah, that was significantly  _different_.

“Come on.” Dean encouraged gently, voice hardly more than a whisper.

Surprisingly, Cas followed that order immediately, burying himself in Dean’s arms again, this time no layers of clothing between them. Initially, Dean shivered as Castiel’s ice-cold body came to rest flush against his own, but once the blanket was securely draped around them, and they stayed like that for a while, Dean could sense the difference.

Castiel gradually relaxed in the embrace, his body no longer shaking. The warmth between them was nice, comforting. It wasn’t awkward like Dean had expected it to be. He didn’t so much care about the fact that his friend was naked against him; he cared about them being close, about them saving each other, and about the happy humming noises that started falling from Cas’ lips after a while.

“Better?” Dean asked after quite some time had passed, already knowing the answer.

“Better…” Cas agreed, sounding completely content.

Dean started stroking Cas’ back again, and this time his fingers were touching naked skin. He knew it was wrong, but he couldn’t resist when they were like this, bodies slotted together, Castiel’s close proximity making Dean’s head swim. He smelled of mint, and cinnamon, and  _Cas_ , and Dean couldn’t get close enough.

Before Dean could feel too selfish about touching Cas a little more than he should, he felt how a warm, wet kiss was suddenly pressed against his chest. It was a simple kiss, but when Dean looked down and found Cas’ blue eyes questioningly staring up at him, he knew enough.

Easy as that, Dean smiled at Cas, his fingers lovingly combing through the dark mess of hair. And easy as that, Castiel leaned in to Dean’s touch, as if it were the natural thing to do. And finally, just as easily, Dean dipped his head so that their lips could touch for the very first time.

And Dean felt  _at home_ , even though he was currently stranded in the middle of nowhere…

They kissed and snuggled until the snow stopped falling and the sun started rising, the cold all but forgotten as they were caught up in each other.

~

A sharp tap against the window of the Impala caused the two boys to pull apart. A middle aged woman with a friendly face and frizzy black hair stared down at them knowingly, and Dean rolled down the window, thankful to see another living soul.

“Don’t mean to interrupt, boys, but I live over there…” She paused to point at a small house in the distance where two young children and a dog were running around, playing in the snow. “… and I think maybe you’d like to use my phone, or get some coffee?”

Castiel blushed, and Dean nodded sheepishly.

“That… That would be really awesome, thank you.” Dean muttered.

“No problem, the name’s Beth. Come my way whenever you’re ready.” She said with a wink, tapping the roof of the car before strolling back to her house through the thick layer of snow.

Castiel smirked up at Dean, and Dean pulled a face.

“Damn… We should’ve known that earlier, Cas.”

But Castiel didn’t share that opinion. He firmly shook his head, then stretched his neck to kiss Dean’s jaw.

“No, Dean… I’m glad we _didn’t know_.” 

**Author's Note:**

> For more Destiel stories, follow destieldrabblesdaily.tumblr.com


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